Gus Jaspert, the governor of the British Virgin Islands, said: ‘The government of the British Virgin Islands is extremely grateful to the police and military personnel for their tireless efforts, which have resulted in a thorough and extremely successful operation.

‘I extend our gratitude to the UK and Cayman Island governments for their provision of personnel on the ground here, helping to ensure the safety and security of all British Virgin Islanders.

‘This signals a huge step in all of our efforts to rebuild this fantastic territory.’

The news comes after British Virgin Islanders said they were ‘terrified’ of the prisoners, who escaped because of the damage caused by Irma.

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They said looting had been ‘terrible’ and claimed escaped prisoners had committed a rape while on the loose.

Shanelle Williams, who took 15 people into her home following the fury the hurricane unleashed on the island, told the Press Association: ‘You go into the town, they crash and they open up and stealing everything.

‘But since the military came it has calmed down, but the only issue right now is these prisoners are out.

‘They have already raped someone and they have already tried to steal from people, it is terrifying.’

One woman, who did not want to be named, told the Press Association she ‘did not feel safe’ after the hurricane.

Foreign minister Sir Alan Duncan told the Commons on Tuesday that the convicts posed a ‘serious threat of the complete breakdown of law and order’.

IMAGES:

Tortola in the British Virgin Islands was badly hit during Hurricane Irma (Picture: PA)

A man sits amid wreckage in Tortola where people are having to rebuild their lives (Picture: PA)
More than 100 people have been recaptured after escaping a prison on the island (Picture: PA)